Community Recruiter

Small Magic is seeking a Community Recruiter to build and lead the recruitment function that connects families to Small Magic's direct programs at a critical moment of organizational growth.

WHO WE ARE

Small Magic is a Birmingham-based organization focused on one goal: ensuring children under five are ready for kindergarten and a life of opportunity. We work alongside families, providers, and civic leaders to strengthen the early learning ecosystem across our city through direct programming and broader systems-level work.

We are entering a defining chapter. With significant new public and private investments committed, Small Magic is scaling rapidly — expanding program capacity and the number of children and families we serve. To do that, we need a dedicated function focused entirely on building the pipelines that fill our programs with the right families.

This is a build-from-scratch opportunity with a blank page and real resources to work with in order to help us meaningfully meet and engage families who could benefit from programs and services we offer.

WHAT YOU'LL DO

Community Recruiter owns the pipelines that connect Small Magic's direct programs to the families they serve. This role is focused on building and operating a disciplined, relationship-driven recruitment function that delivers consistent, quality enrollment across multiple program lines. You are the person who shows up, describes the programs we offer, earns the yes, and then builds the system that makes that repeatable.

You will:

Move people from interested to enrolled | You will have real conversations with real families and you will be compelling. You understand what motivates someone to say yes, you listen for their needs, and you meet them where they are based on your knowledge of Small Magic’s programs.

Build Small Magic's outreach and engagement strategy | You will design and implement a recruitment strategy that connects directly with families. You will define the target profiles, value propositions, and processes, and ensure strategy actively guides execution.

Own the full recruitment pipeline | You will build and manage the end-to-end pipeline for families, from first contact through enrollment and handoff to program coaches. You will ensure leads don't fall through gaps and that every stage of the funnel is owned, tracked, and improving.

Communicate our offerings repeatedly and authentically | You will develop a crisp, honest answer to "why Small Magic, why this program, why now" for every audience you talk to. You will pressure-test that answer in real conversations, refine it based on what lands, and use it consistently. You are not reading from a script, you are genuinely convinced this work matters and that comes through.

Build authentic community relationships | You will show up consistently in the communities Small Magic serves whether in neighborhoods, at community events, you are building the trust and visibility that makes recruitment possible.

Serve multiple program lines simultaneously | You will recruit across Small Magic's direct program portfolio, learning where your capacity is best deployed and where the recruitment motions differ enough to require distinct approaches. You will help the organization understand what one person can sustain and where a second hire becomes necessary.

Operate with pipeline discipline and data clarity | You will define what a good family candidate looks like. You will track performance, identify where the pipeline breaks down, and make decisions based on what the data shows.

TO MAKE THIS CONCRETE

If you were in this role today, you might be:

• Following up with five families who expressed interest two weeks ago and haven't responded and figuring out we can meet them where they are to support them in our programs
• Developing the value proposition for why a family should participate, and pressure-testing both with real community members
• Attending community events, visiting centers, and building relationships that create warm pipeline rather than cold outreach
• Working with program coaches to execute structured handoffs so relationship equity built during recruitment doesn't get lost at enrollment

WHO YOU ARE

We'll evaluate candidates for this role based on demonstrated strength in the areas below:

Effective Communication | You know how to communicate Small Magic’s programs to get people from curious to committed. You listen carefully, understand what someone actually needs, and make a case that is honest, specific, and compelling. You follow up without being pushy and you gain buy-in in a way people feel good about.

Community Relationship Building | You build trust with people who have every reason to be skeptical of people and organizations that show up promising things. You adopt a trauma informed lens and you are consistent, present, and genuine. You follow through.

People Engagement | You can explain what Small Magic does and why it matters in a way that resonates with a parent all in the same day. You represent and engage with families and communities with dignity and kindness. You know that the story you tell has to be true and has to land because both matter.

Pipeline/Systems Thinking | You think in systems. You understand that recruitment is a funnel with stages, owners, and conversion rates and you build processes that are structured, trackable, and improvable over time.

Build-From-Scratch Comfort | You are energized by a blank page, not paralyzed by it. You can create structure where none exists without waiting for someone to hand you a playbook.

Data Discipline | You define success before you start. You track what matters. You adjust based on what you learn rather than what feels right.

While not requirements for application, competitive candidates will likely have:

• Experience working in a sales-type role or environment
• Experience living in or working with lower income communities
• Experience engaging with community-based organizations

Benefits include a highly flexible work environment, premium health insurance, retirement matching (up to 5% after 3 months), paid time off (approximately 30 days), professional development funds, and a work-issued laptop.